1995 Buick Riviera

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

130Owner complaints

Model-year median: 1

1Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1995 Buick Riviera

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 130 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 21 reports
Seat Belts: 21 reports
Power Train: 18 reports
Electrical System: 17 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 14 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

00V057000 — Seat Belts:front:webbing

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Riviera years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

21 Seat Belts

21 Power Train

18 Electrical System

17 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

All reported categories

Steering

13 Air Bags

8 Structure

8 Fuel System, Gasoline

5 Vehicle Speed Control

4 Exterior Lighting

3 Latches/locks/linkages

1 Traction Control System

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 22 of 130 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports

Suspension complaints

5 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2005

Suspension

Read full complaint

DT: CONTACT WAS GOING TO BUY A CAR FROM FALLS CHRYSLER JEEP AND DODGE. IT WAS A 1995 BUICK RIVIERA. HE CRAWLED UP UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THE WHOLE ARM THAT COE OUT FROM THE SUB FRAME THAT HOLD THE WHEEL ON WAS RUSTED THROUGH PAPER THIN. HE DID NOT BUY THE VEHICLE BUT LATER CALLED TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE RUST HE NOTICED ,AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY HAD SOLD THE VEHICLE TO SOMEONE, AND THEY HAD SIGNED THREE DIFFERENT PAPERS. HE DID NOT CARE IF THE CAR BROKE DOWN AFTER IT LEF TTHE LOT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10131344

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 1999

Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

Read full complaint

TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AT 35,000 MILES IN APRIL 1999. I DID NOT TAKE INTO DEALER UNTIL DECEMBER 1999 BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE. SO, INSTEAD OF TAKING TO DEALER AND FOR POTENTIAL MAJOR EXPENSE OF CORRECTING TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM I CHOSE TO LIVE WITHOUT TRACTION CONTROL. IN DECEMBER 1999 I TOOK IT IN TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF LOOKING AT THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON. WAS INFORMED ABS SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND REPLACED VALVE KIT. COST WAS $870.76!!! VEHICLE ALSO MADE A POPPING NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN. WAS ADVISED THAT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DEFECTIVE AND THEY REPLACED SAME DATE. TOTAL COST $378.25. DID NOT SOLVE POPPING NOISE ON RIGHT TURNS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716066

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 1998

Suspension

VEHICLE WAS A LEMON LAW BUY BACK, WHEN PURCHASED IT CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE FRONT END VIBRATION WHICH WAS ONE OF THE REASONS CONSIDERED TO BE A LEMON.

NHTSA ODI #542012

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 1998

Suspension

HARMONIC STABILIZER FAILED CAUSING SUDDEN VIOLENT VIBRATION AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER.

NHTSA ODI #539970

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 1997

Suspension

WHEN MAKING A SLOW LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE VIBRATES IN THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP (4) TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM OVER THE LAST YEAR. PROBLEM STILL NOT CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #810671

Recall campaigns

00V057000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Feb 28, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SHOULDER BELT(S) DO NOT RETRACT. A RETAINER COULD SEPARATE FROM A REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR WHICH RESULTS IN THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING BECOMING DISENGAGED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY RECEIVE MORE SEVERE INJURIES IF THERE IS EXCESSIVE SLACK IN THE SHOULDER BELT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS FOR CORRECT FUNCTION AND INSTALL A SPRING COVER RETAINING STRAP TO EACH RETRACTOR. IF A RETRACTOR DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY, IT WILL BE REPLACED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

EA00006 · Rear Seat Belt Retractor

Opened Feb 22, 2000 · Closed Mar 6, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other

IN ITS LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 25, 2000 TO NHTSA, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF 85,253 MODEL YEAR 1995 BUICK RIVIERA AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA VEHICLES FOR THE DEFECT IN THE OUTBOARD REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES.

PE99059 · Rear Seat Belt Retractor

Opened Sep 15, 1999 · Closed Feb 22, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other

COMPLAINTS GENERALLY STATED THAT ONE OR BOTH OUTBOARD REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT ALL AND ARE USELESS.IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT PROVIDE ANY TENSION AND HAVE EXCESS SLACK.THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY HAS A PLASTIC COVER NEXT TO THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING.ACCORDING TO GENERAL MOTORS (GM), HEAT MAY SOFTEN, WARP AND DEFLECT THE PLASTIC SPRING COVER ALLOWING THE RETURN SPRING TO DISENGAGE THROUGH AND JAM IN THE SPRING COVER ACCESS HOLE RENDERING THE RETURN SPRING NONFUNCTIONAL.TO ELIMANATE THE PROBLEM, GM CHANGED THE SPRING COVER MATERIAL AND ACCESS HOLE AT THE BEGINNING OF PRODUCTION OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1996 BUICK RIVIERA AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA VEHICLES.BOTH COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS HAVE DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM MY 1995 SUBJECT VEHICLES TO MY 1996 VEHICLES.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.